Evan Silva

Matchups

Matchups: Pay-Dirt Due

Steve Smith whipped normally stout Bears RCB Tim Jennings up and down the field in Week 8, racking up 118 yards on seven receptions. It's scary to think what Smith might be capable of against the Redskins' last-ranked pass defense. Although he's scoreless through seven starts, Smith is on pace for 80 catches and 1,347 yards -- not far off last year's 79/1,394 line. As explosive a route runner as ever, Smith is a WR1 in the most favorable matchup he'll get all year. Look for Smith to rediscover pay dirt in this one. ... With nine games left, there is ample time for Cam Newton to break free from his sophomore slump. Washington's defense would be a sensible place to start. The Redskins have allowed league highs in touchdown passes (19) and 40-plus-yard completions (7) while averaging under two sacks per game. Even with Brandon LaFell (concussion) expected to miss Week 9, Newton should find Smith and Greg Olsen open frequently in the intermediate and deep sections of the field. Start Cam with confidence. ... The Redskins have permitted the most fantasy points in the NFC to tight ends. LaFell's absence means Olsen will be Newton's clear No. 2 pass catcher on Sunday, so shake off his three-game production lull and start Olsen as a mid-range TE1 in D.C.

David Gettis is due back from PUP this week, but Louis Murphy figures to replace LaFell in the starting lineup. Though he's managed just nine catches all year as Carolina's No. 3 receiver, the matchup makes Murphy worth a look for WR3 desperados. ... The Redskins played some of the NFL's stoutest run defense in the first five games, and they may still finish in the top half of the league. But Washington has sprung enough recent leaks that newly anointed feature runner Jonathan Stewart is well worth an RB2 play. Steelers, Giants, and Vikings backs have tagged the Redskins for 274 yards and two TDs on 60 carries (4.57 YPC) over the past three weeks. For Stewart, this matchup is a far cry from last week's date with Chicago's No. 1 run defense. ... As the guard changes in Carolina's backfield, Stewart has played 111-of-147 snaps (75.5 percent) and received 34 touches since the Week 6 bye. DeAngelo Williams has been reduced to a 12.2-percent player the Panthers tried to trade before Thursday's deadline. He's playing less now than Mike Tolbert. Williams is waiver-wire fodder. Tolbert is a lead blocker and short-yardage option.

The Washington Post charged Redskins would-be pass catchers with a whopping ten drops in last week's 27-12 loss to the Steelers, which may or may not have been attributable to wet Heinz Field conditions. Either way, it'd be unfair to hold the relatively slow game against Robert Griffin III for Week 9 fantasy lineup decisions. Still No. 4 in quarterback scoring on the season, Griffin will go from facing Pittsburgh's No. 2 defense to Carolina's 15th-ranked group. Improved recent performance indicates the Panthers are no cakewalk, but RG3 remains an every-week starter and simply halving the dropped passes from ten to five would go a long way toward restoring his elite fantasy production. ... Carolina's defense has been more vulnerable on the ground than in the air this year. The Panthers rank 20th against the run and will likely have trouble slowing down the Redskins' zone scheme. Alfred Morris struggled last week (13-59-0) primarily because Pittsburgh rendered Washington's offense one dimensional, grabbing a 10-0 first-quarter lead and forcing Griffin into pass-heavy comeback mode. This week's game figures to be more evenly matched. Morris is still the No. 5 overall fantasy running back and a legit RB1.

Leonard Hankerson was one of the culprits in Washington's Week 8 pass-catching inefficiency, dropping a ball for the second straight week. Hankerson also failed to get open against Steelers RCB Ike Taylor and has shown poor separation skills all season. He appears to have put on weight, costing him quickness and speed. The Redskins want to increase speedier Aldrick Robinson's role, quite possibly at Hankerson's expense. ... No Washington receiver performed more poorly than Santana Moss at Heinz Field. Moss had three drops and 21 yards on nine targets. Although he's flukily scored three touchdowns in his last two games, Moss remains a situational slot receiver playing about 30 percent of the offensive snaps. Look elsewhere for Week 9 WR3/flex plays. ... Possession receiver/blocker Josh Morgan has started seven of the Skins' eight games this season. He's averaging 33 yards per week and hasn't scored a touchdown. ... Logan Paulsen played the lead role in Washington's tight end committee at Pittsburgh, but spent much of the game blocking on the line and may gradually lose snaps to Chris Cooley. Niles Paul is also in the mix. No Redskins receiver or tight end is an attractive fantasy play versus Carolina.

Score Prediction: Panthers 27, Redskins 24

Baltimore @ Cleveland

After re-watching Week 8 Chargers-Browns this week, I don't think we'll have to worry about Trent Richardson's ribs anymore. Cleveland stayed committed to its every-down workhorse in the ugly-but-satisfying 7-6 win, and Richardson rediscovered his dynamic running ability against a San Diego defense that entered the game ranked No. 1 in the AFC against the run. Pinballing off Bolts defenders ala Maurice Jones-Drew in his prime, T-Rich ran with violence inside and out en route to 134 yards and a touchdown. Richardson diced up the Ravens for 104 total yards and a score just over a month ago, and Baltimore has since lost MLB Ray Lewis. So this matchup isn't daunting. Richardson is an RB1 again. ... Cleveland's offensive line was particularly impressive against the Chargers. The Joe Thomas-led front five consistently generated push in the run game and kept Brandon Weeden's pocket clean, even if his receivers failed to separate on the muddy, rain-soaked field. Pro Football Focus has graded the Browns' O-Line as a top-nine unit in run blocking and top seven in pass protection. It's promising long-range news for Richardson & Co.

Terrell Suggs isn't all the way back from his Achilles' injury, but he made an instant impact in his 2012 debut two weeks ago at Houston. Suggs recorded four tackles, sacked Matt Schaub, batted down a pass, and forced three QB hurries despite playing just 55 percent of Baltimore's defensive snaps. Now coming off a bye to nurse closer to full health, Suggs can restore some order to the Ravens' pass defense. ... The sloppy conditions rendered both teams' pass offenses ineffective in last week's win over San Diego, and Brandon Weeden remains on the low-end QB2 radar in this matchup. ... Weeden just missed Josh Gordon on a pair of vertical strikes against the Chargers, and the Weeden-to-Gordon bomb continues to be a staple in Cleveland's passing attack. Week in and out, Gordon is the best bet for big plays and production in the Browns' pass-catching corps. ... Weeden's target distribution over his last four games: Gordon 27, Greg Little 19, Ben Watson 15, Richardson and Chris Ogbonnaya 13, Josh Cooper 12, Jordan Cameron 10. ... Watson and Cameron essentially split time at tight end, canceling each other out from a fantasy perspective. ... Little is typically good for 5-6 targets a game, which makes him pretty unappealing as a WR3 option when he's hovering around 11 yards per catch with four touchdowns in 24 career games.

Joe Flacco is being written off in fantasy circles after his Week 7 disaster game at Houston. It's understandable because the NFL is very what-you've-done-for-me-lately oriented. But dismissing Flacco due to that one game isn't giving the opponent enough credit. "The film showed that the Texans' defense was playing at 100 miles an hour, and the Ravens' offense was stuck at the stop sign," NFL Films' Greg Cosell observed on Adam Caplan's podcast this week. "I'm not gonna sit here and tell you Joe Flacco played well, but Joe Flacco didn't have a chance." Cleveland's No. 26 defense is a far cry from Houston's top-three unit, even if Flacco's recent production hasn't warranted more than QB2 value. He has a 3:4 TD-to-INT ratio over his last four games. ... Pro Football Focus has charted Browns CB Joe Haden with 16 completions on 30 throws into his coverage (53.3 percent) this season for 237 yards (7.9 YPA) and two TDs. So Haden hasn't quite been a shutdown corner. He's still likely to give Torrey Smith a hard time on Sunday. Consider Smith a WR3 as opposed to the WR2 he's flashed the capability of becoming at times this year.

The Browns and Ravens squared off in Week 4 this season. Anquan Boldin lit up Cleveland for 131 yards on nine receptions while Dennis Pitta was held catch-less on just two targets. Coach John Harbaugh acknowledged this week that defenses have been intent on taking away Pitta, and they seem content to let Boldin rack up short catches over the middle. Pitta lacks physical tools to overcome concentrated defensive attention, while Boldin's 32-year-old legs should be fresh coming off a Week 8 bye. Boldin is on the WR3 radar in Week 9. With no touchdowns and a 22-yard average dating back to that initial Browns game, Pitta is a TE2 until he resumes putting something -- anything -- worthwhile in the box score. ... Ray Rice has been dominating the Browns since he entered the league as a second-round steal out of Rutgers in 2008. Cleveland ranks 24th versus the run and surrenders a relatively generous 4.37 YPC average this season. There were also indications during Baltimore's bye week that the Ravens intend to lean more on Rice down the stretch, with the passing game sputtering. Expect a heavy workload from Ray Rice in Week 9.

Score Prediction: Ravens 24, Browns 17

Arizona @ Green Bay

San Francisco picked apart Arizona in Week 8 with dink-and-dunk passing. Alex Smith completed 18-of-19 throws for 232 yards and three touchdowns, providing a blueprint of sorts for Green Bay to expose the Cardinals' No. 4 pass defense. Aaron Rodgers isn't known as a "dink and dunker," but he does it more often than you might think and with great success. The Packers are less of a downfield, shot-play team this year than last. They're 19th in the NFL in 20-plus-yard completions, and 23rd in 40-yarders. Rodgers can dismantle defenses without pouring on vertical bombs. ... If Green Bay does copy San Francisco and attack with a Bill Walshian brand of offense, Randall Cobb stands to be the primary passing-game beneficiary as a slot receiver who does his damage in the short to intermediate areas. Staying highly efficient, Cobb hauled in 5-of-7 targets in Week 8 against the Jags and scored his fourth touchdown in the last month. Cobb has at least 100-plus yards and/or a TD in four consecutive games. He's a top-seven overall fantasy receiver over the past five weeks, and has a favorable Week 9 matchup with oft-burned Cardinals slot CB William Gay. ... Jordy Nelson (hamstring) is expected to miss one more game and come away with three weeks of downtime ahead of a Week 10 bye. James Jones figures to match up often with Patrick Peterson on Sunday, although Michael Crabtree (5-72-2) showed last Monday night that Peterson hasn't reached shutdown-corner status yet. Jones remains locked in as an every-week WR2.

As for Green Bay's third receiver with Nelson and Greg Jennings (groin) out, Donald Driver and undrafted rookie Jarrett Boykin formed an even timeshare against the Jaguars. Boykin played 22 snaps, finishing with nine yards on one target. Driver was targeted twice on 23 snaps and gained ten yards with a red-zone score. This is a situation to avoid in fantasy leagues. ... The Jags held Alex Green to 22 carries for 54 yards in Week 8, and Green now has 132 yards on his last 60 attempts (2.20 YPC). Green's paltry production was especially discouraging because Jacksonville consistently dropped seven defenders into coverage. Green Bay should have been able to run all over that front. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported this week that Green will last one more game as the lead back, but patience is wearing thin and he could be yanked at any moment. ... James Starks played single-digit snaps for the second straight game in Week 8, receiving two touches. He’s not a fantasy option yet, but his shot at an increased role is drawing near. ... Jermichael Finley topped five targets for the first time in seven games last week, but still barely cracked the 50-percent snaps plateau and came away with two catches for 24 scoreless yards. The Cards have allowed the second-fewest receptions and third-fewest yards to tight ends this season, so there's little reason to believe Finley will bust his slump in Week 9.

49ers OLB Aldon Smith was the latest to tee off on Cardinals LT D'Anthony Batiste in last Monday night's blowout win over Arizona. Smith worked Batiste for two sacks and six solo tackles, laying four hits on John Skelton. Up next is Packers OLB Clay Matthews, who's a half-sack off the NFL lead. Statuesque Skelton is in for another long day. ... Green Bay's run defense is not quite back at full strength, but showed what it can do with a healthy B.J. Raji on the nose. The Packers held Jacksonville's ground game to 62 scoreless yards on 20 carries (3.10 YPC) and shouldn't struggle to shut down Arizona's putrid running offense. La'Rod Stephens-Howling was a one-week wonder against the Vikings two games ago. William Powell is a factor no longer. ... Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Roberts are the two Cardinals pass catchers worth Week 9 fantasy consideration. While Skelton getting him the rock is always an adventure, Fitz has a favorable on-paper matchup with a Green Bay defense getting burned up by No. 1 receivers. Here are the last five stat lines against them: Marques Colston 9-153-1; Reggie Wayne 13-212-1; Andre Johnson 8-75; Chris Givens 3-73; Cecil Shorts 8-116. ... Roberts is a WR4 who could perhaps post WR3-caliber stats if Arizona abandons the run and becomes pass happy. ... Michael Floyd played a season-most 44-of-72 snaps (61.1 percent) against the Niners as the Cardinals used more four-receiver sets than ever in game-long comeback mode. Floyd still hasn't hit 40 receiving yards in any game this season.

Score Prediction: Packers 31, Cardinals 16

1:00PM ET Games

Carolina @ Washington

Steve Smith whipped normally stout Bears RCB Tim Jennings up and down the field in Week 8, racking up 118 yards on seven receptions. It's scary to think what Smith might be capable of against the Redskins' last-ranked pass defense. Although he's scoreless through seven starts, Smith is on pace for 80 catches and 1,347 yards -- not far off last year's 79/1,394 line. As explosive a route runner as ever, Smith is a WR1 in the most favorable matchup he'll get all year. Look for Smith to rediscover pay dirt in this one. ... With nine games left, there is ample time for Cam Newton to break free from his sophomore slump. Washington's defense would be a sensible place to start. The Redskins have allowed league highs in touchdown passes (19) and 40-plus-yard completions (7) while averaging under two sacks per game. Even with Brandon LaFell (concussion) expected to miss Week 9, Newton should find Smith and Greg Olsen open frequently in the intermediate and deep sections of the field. Start Cam with confidence. ... The Redskins have permitted the most fantasy points in the NFC to tight ends. LaFell's absence means Olsen will be Newton's clear No. 2 pass catcher on Sunday, so shake off his three-game production lull and start Olsen as a mid-range TE1 in D.C.

David Gettis is due back from PUP this week, but Louis Murphy figures to replace LaFell in the starting lineup. Though he's managed just nine catches all year as Carolina's No. 3 receiver, the matchup makes Murphy worth a look for WR3 desperados. ... The Redskins played some of the NFL's stoutest run defense in the first five games, and they may still finish in the top half of the league. But Washington has sprung enough recent leaks that newly anointed feature runner Jonathan Stewart is well worth an RB2 play. Steelers, Giants, and Vikings backs have tagged the Redskins for 274 yards and two TDs on 60 carries (4.57 YPC) over the past three weeks. For Stewart, this matchup is a far cry from last week's date with Chicago's No. 1 run defense. ... As the guard changes in Carolina's backfield, Stewart has played 111-of-147 snaps (75.5 percent) and received 34 touches since the Week 6 bye. DeAngelo Williams has been reduced to a 12.2-percent player the Panthers tried to trade before Thursday's deadline. He's playing less now than Mike Tolbert. Williams is waiver-wire fodder. Tolbert is a lead blocker and short-yardage option.

The Washington Post charged Redskins would-be pass catchers with a whopping ten drops in last week's 27-12 loss to the Steelers, which may or may not have been attributable to wet Heinz Field conditions. Either way, it'd be unfair to hold the relatively slow game against Robert Griffin III for Week 9 fantasy lineup decisions. Still No. 4 in quarterback scoring on the season, Griffin will go from facing Pittsburgh's No. 2 defense to Carolina's 15th-ranked group. Improved recent performance indicates the Panthers are no cakewalk, but RG3 remains an every-week starter and simply halving the dropped passes from ten to five would go a long way toward restoring his elite fantasy production. ... Carolina's defense has been more vulnerable on the ground than in the air this year. The Panthers rank 20th against the run and will likely have trouble slowing down the Redskins' zone scheme. Alfred Morris struggled last week (13-59-0) primarily because Pittsburgh rendered Washington's offense one dimensional, grabbing a 10-0 first-quarter lead and forcing Griffin into pass-heavy comeback mode. This week's game figures to be more evenly matched. Morris is still the No. 5 overall fantasy running back and a legit RB1.

Leonard Hankerson was one of the culprits in Washington's Week 8 pass-catching inefficiency, dropping a ball for the second straight week. Hankerson also failed to get open against Steelers RCB Ike Taylor and has shown poor separation skills all season. He appears to have put on weight, costing him quickness and speed. The Redskins want to increase speedier Aldrick Robinson's role, quite possibly at Hankerson's expense. ... No Washington receiver performed more poorly than Santana Moss at Heinz Field. Moss had three drops and 21 yards on nine targets. Although he's flukily scored three touchdowns in his last two games, Moss remains a situational slot receiver playing about 30 percent of the offensive snaps. Look elsewhere for Week 9 WR3/flex plays. ... Possession receiver/blocker Josh Morgan has started seven of the Skins' eight games this season. He's averaging 33 yards per week and hasn't scored a touchdown. ... Logan Paulsen played the lead role in Washington's tight end committee at Pittsburgh, but spent much of the game blocking on the line and may gradually lose snaps to Chris Cooley. Niles Paul is also in the mix. No Redskins receiver or tight end is an attractive fantasy play versus Carolina.

Score Prediction: Panthers 27, Redskins 24

Baltimore @ Cleveland

After re-watching Week 8 Chargers-Browns this week, I don't think we'll have to worry about Trent Richardson's ribs anymore. Cleveland stayed committed to its every-down workhorse in the ugly-but-satisfying 7-6 win, and Richardson rediscovered his dynamic running ability against a San Diego defense that entered the game ranked No. 1 in the AFC against the run. Pinballing off Bolts defenders ala Maurice Jones-Drew in his prime, T-Rich ran with violence inside and out en route to 134 yards and a touchdown. Richardson diced up the Ravens for 104 total yards and a score just over a month ago, and Baltimore has since lost MLB Ray Lewis. So this matchup isn't daunting. Richardson is an RB1 again. ... Cleveland's offensive line was particularly impressive against the Chargers. The Joe Thomas-led front five consistently generated push in the run game and kept Brandon Weeden's pocket clean, even if his receivers failed to separate on the muddy, rain-soaked field. Pro Football Focus has graded the Browns' O-Line as a top-nine unit in run blocking and top seven in pass protection. It's promising long-range news for Richardson & Co.

Terrell Suggs isn't all the way back from his Achilles' injury, but he made an instant impact in his 2012 debut two weeks ago at Houston. Suggs recorded four tackles, sacked Matt Schaub, batted down a pass, and forced three QB hurries despite playing just 55 percent of Baltimore's defensive snaps. Now coming off a bye to nurse closer to full health, Suggs can restore some order to the Ravens' pass defense. ... The sloppy conditions rendered both teams' pass offenses ineffective in last week's win over San Diego, and Brandon Weeden remains on the low-end QB2 radar in this matchup. ... Weeden just missed Josh Gordon on a pair of vertical strikes against the Chargers, and the Weeden-to-Gordon bomb continues to be a staple in Cleveland's passing attack. Week in and out, Gordon is the best bet for big plays and production in the Browns' pass-catching corps. ... Weeden's target distribution over his last four games: Gordon 27, Greg Little 19, Ben Watson 15, Richardson and Chris Ogbonnaya 13, Josh Cooper 12, Jordan Cameron 10. ... Watson and Cameron essentially split time at tight end, canceling each other out from a fantasy perspective. ... Little is typically good for 5-6 targets a game, which makes him pretty unappealing as a WR3 option when he's hovering around 11 yards per catch with four touchdowns in 24 career games.

Joe Flacco is being written off in fantasy circles after his Week 7 disaster game at Houston. It's understandable because the NFL is very what-you've-done-for-me-lately oriented. But dismissing Flacco due to that one game isn't giving the opponent enough credit. "The film showed that the Texans' defense was playing at 100 miles an hour, and the Ravens' offense was stuck at the stop sign," NFL Films' Greg Cosell observed on Adam Caplan's podcast this week. "I'm not gonna sit here and tell you Joe Flacco played well, but Joe Flacco didn't have a chance." Cleveland's No. 26 defense is a far cry from Houston's top-three unit, even if Flacco's recent production hasn't warranted more than QB2 value. He has a 3:4 TD-to-INT ratio over his last four games. ... Pro Football Focus has charted Browns CB Joe Haden with 16 completions on 30 throws into his coverage (53.3 percent) this season for 237 yards (7.9 YPA) and two TDs. So Haden hasn't quite been a shutdown corner. He's still likely to give Torrey Smith a hard time on Sunday. Consider Smith a WR3 as opposed to the WR2 he's flashed the capability of becoming at times this year.

The Browns and Ravens squared off in Week 4 this season. Anquan Boldin lit up Cleveland for 131 yards on nine receptions while Dennis Pitta was held catch-less on just two targets. Coach John Harbaugh acknowledged this week that defenses have been intent on taking away Pitta, and they seem content to let Boldin rack up short catches over the middle. Pitta lacks physical tools to overcome concentrated defensive attention, while Boldin's 32-year-old legs should be fresh coming off a Week 8 bye. Boldin is on the WR3 radar in Week 9. With no touchdowns and a 22-yard average dating back to that initial Browns game, Pitta is a TE2 until he resumes putting something -- anything -- worthwhile in the box score. ... Ray Rice has been dominating the Browns since he entered the league as a second-round steal out of Rutgers in 2008. Cleveland ranks 24th versus the run and surrenders a relatively generous 4.37 YPC average this season. There were also indications during Baltimore's bye week that the Ravens intend to lean more on Rice down the stretch, with the passing game sputtering. Expect a heavy workload from Ray Rice in Week 9.

Score Prediction: Ravens 24, Browns 17

Arizona @ Green Bay

San Francisco picked apart Arizona in Week 8 with dink-and-dunk passing. Alex Smith completed 18-of-19 throws for 232 yards and three touchdowns, providing a blueprint of sorts for Green Bay to expose the Cardinals' No. 4 pass defense. Aaron Rodgers isn't known as a "dink and dunker," but he does it more often than you might think and with great success. The Packers are less of a downfield, shot-play team this year than last. They're 19th in the NFL in 20-plus-yard completions, and 23rd in 40-yarders. Rodgers can dismantle defenses without pouring on vertical bombs. ... If Green Bay does copy San Francisco and attack with a Bill Walshian brand of offense, Randall Cobb stands to be the primary passing-game beneficiary as a slot receiver who does his damage in the short to intermediate areas. Staying highly efficient, Cobb hauled in 5-of-7 targets in Week 8 against the Jags and scored his fourth touchdown in the last month. Cobb has at least 100-plus yards and/or a TD in four consecutive games. He's a top-seven overall fantasy receiver over the past five weeks, and has a favorable Week 9 matchup with oft-burned Cardinals slot CB William Gay. ... Jordy Nelson (hamstring) is expected to miss one more game and come away with three weeks of downtime ahead of a Week 10 bye. James Jones figures to match up often with Patrick Peterson on Sunday, although Michael Crabtree (5-72-2) showed last Monday night that Peterson hasn't reached shutdown-corner status yet. Jones remains locked in as an every-week WR2.

As for Green Bay's third receiver with Nelson and Greg Jennings (groin) out, Donald Driver and undrafted rookie Jarrett Boykin formed an even timeshare against the Jaguars. Boykin played 22 snaps, finishing with nine yards on one target. Driver was targeted twice on 23 snaps and gained ten yards with a red-zone score. This is a situation to avoid in fantasy leagues. ... The Jags held Alex Green to 22 carries for 54 yards in Week 8, and Green now has 132 yards on his last 60 attempts (2.20 YPC). Green's paltry production was especially discouraging because Jacksonville consistently dropped seven defenders into coverage. Green Bay should have been able to run all over that front. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported this week that Green will last one more game as the lead back, but patience is wearing thin and he could be yanked at any moment. ... James Starks played single-digit snaps for the second straight game in Week 8, receiving two touches. He’s not a fantasy option yet, but his shot at an increased role is drawing near. ... Jermichael Finley topped five targets for the first time in seven games last week, but still barely cracked the 50-percent snaps plateau and came away with two catches for 24 scoreless yards. The Cards have allowed the second-fewest receptions and third-fewest yards to tight ends this season, so there's little reason to believe Finley will bust his slump in Week 9.

49ers OLB Aldon Smith was the latest to tee off on Cardinals LT D'Anthony Batiste in last Monday night's blowout win over Arizona. Smith worked Batiste for two sacks and six solo tackles, laying four hits on John Skelton. Up next is Packers OLB Clay Matthews, who's a half-sack off the NFL lead. Statuesque Skelton is in for another long day. ... Green Bay's run defense is not quite back at full strength, but showed what it can do with a healthy B.J. Raji on the nose. The Packers held Jacksonville's ground game to 62 scoreless yards on 20 carries (3.10 YPC) and shouldn't struggle to shut down Arizona's putrid running offense. La'Rod Stephens-Howling was a one-week wonder against the Vikings two games ago. William Powell is a factor no longer. ... Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Roberts are the two Cardinals pass catchers worth Week 9 fantasy consideration. While Skelton getting him the rock is always an adventure, Fitz has a favorable on-paper matchup with a Green Bay defense getting burned up by No. 1 receivers. Here are the last five stat lines against them: Marques Colston 9-153-1; Reggie Wayne 13-212-1; Andre Johnson 8-75; Chris Givens 3-73; Cecil Shorts 8-116. ... Roberts is a WR4 who could perhaps post WR3-caliber stats if Arizona abandons the run and becomes pass happy. ... Michael Floyd played a season-most 44-of-72 snaps (61.1 percent) against the Niners as the Cardinals used more four-receiver sets than ever in game-long comeback mode. Floyd still hasn't hit 40 receiving yards in any game this season.

Score Prediction: Packers 31, Cardinals 16

Detroit @ Jacksonville

Matthew Stafford struggled in Detroit's first six games. He struggled mightily, to the point that he may have been the 2012 season's single biggest first-half fantasy bust. But Stafford always possessed too much talent in too high-octane an offense for that funk to continue, and his Week 8 performance was an emphatic reminder. With Titus Young delivering the finest effort of his 25-game career, Stafford snapped out of it, playing with confidence and aggressiveness and placing the football with precision in a thrilling 28-24 win. Remember Aaron Rodgers' early-season funk? Tom Brady's? Drew Brees had one a few years back. Stafford's just lasted a bit longer. Trot out Stafford as a QB1 against Jacksonville's No. 23 pass defense. The Jags are expected to be without three starting defensive backs (RCB Derek Cox – back; LCB Rashean Mathis – groin; FS Dwight Lowery - ankle). ... Playing 68-of-74 snaps, Young abused Seahawks LCB Richard Sherman for the majority of last week's 9/100/2 line, which provides a hint at the second-year receiver's potential. Sherman is perhaps the NFL's best young cornerback. Young can fly, and Nate Burleson's year-ending leg injury makes him a full-time receiver in a pass-first, vertical offense where Calvin Johnson dictates coverage. Expect ups and downs, but Young will be difficult to keep on fantasy benches moving forward. ... Burleson was a Lions locker-room favorite, but I think it's safe to say they'll be better off with Young and Ryan Broyles on the field. The play speed of the entire offense was noticeably faster in Week 8. Broyles is a rotational slot receiver, but he plays on all passing downs and is a fixture in Detroit's red-zone offense. ... Newly acquired Mike Thomas will be the Lions' No. 4 receiver and likely cut into Stefan Logan's return duties. Logan has three fumbles over his past three games.

Johnson (knee) was clearly laboring in the second half of Seahawks-Lions. Perhaps the Jags saw his diminished movement skills in their tape preparation and will leave Aaron Ross on him all day. Even at 75 percent, Megatron needs to be started every week. Despite missed practices, Johnson is fully expected to start Sunday. ... Brandon Pettigrew made a few plays after the catch against Seattle, breaking tackles and finishing with seven receptions for 74 yards on nine targets. The Jags have allowed the second fewest fantasy points to tight ends -- largely because no tight end has scored on them -- but Pettigrew is worth a look as a back-end TE1. ... Tony Scheffler was a bigger part of the offense in Burleson's first full missed game, and has more seam-stretching ability than post-up guy Pettigrew. Scheffler went for 46 yards against the Seahawks, but still only played half of the snaps and isn't on the 12-team league radar. ... Although it has faced back-to-back struggling opponents, one aspect of Jacksonville's team that has come to life since the bye week is the run defense. Switching out overmatched rookie DE Andre Branch for veteran Austen Lane and demoting NT Terrance Knighton into a rotation with C.J. Mosley, the Jags have stuffed Oakland and Green Bay's running games for 135 yards and one touchdown -- a goal-line sneak by Carson Palmer -- on 52 carries (2.60 YPC) since the off week. The Jaguars are suddenly getting backfield penetration and creating pileups at the line of scrimmage. Mikel Leshoure is a low-end RB2 option. Joique Bell remains a pace-change back.

Blaine Gabbert won't be mistaken for a fantasy asset anytime soon, but tangible signs of on-field progress are promising for No. 1 receiver Cecil Shorts. Gabbert has completed 34 of his last 60 passes (56.7 percent) for 411 yards (6.85 YPA), and a 2:0 TD-to-INT ratio, and that counts as a step forward based on his early-career standards. On pace for a respectable 914 yards and seven receiving scores despite playing backup snaps early in the season, Shorts remains firmly on the WR3 radar against a Detroit pass defense that was plagued by injuries even before top cover safety Louis Delmas’ latest knee aggravation. ... Jacksonville's Week 6 bye did nothing to kick start Justin Blackmon's season. He's secured 5-of-12 targets for 74 yards in two games since the open date and has yet to find pay dirt on the year. Blackmon is waiver-wire fodder in 12-team fantasy leagues until proven otherwise. ... Marcedes Lewis has gone six games without topping 32 yards and is showing no signs of busting his funk despite Gabbert's improved play.

Rashad Jennings was the superior Week 8 waiver claim over La'Rod Stephens-Howling, but that doesn't mean Jennings is headed for stardom. While his workloads have been voluminous -- 51 touches the past two weeks -- Jennings is showing himself to be a pedestrian ball carrier who doesn't get much more than what's blocked. He's under 3.0 yards per carry on the season. The Lions rank 18th against the run and surrender a fairly generous 4.37 YPC, but Jennings is really nothing more than a low-upside flex option on a good fantasy football team. He's not going to hit long runs, or score very often in one of the league's poorest offenses. The passing-game usage is Jennings' brightest spot. He plays a major role even when Jacksonville falls behind in games.

Score Prediction: Lions 23, Jaguars 13

Chicago @ Tennessee

Chicago pulled out a Week 7 fourth-quarter comeback win over Carolina, but offensive line woes are rearing their ugly head again. Jay Cutler has absorbed 11 sacks and 24 hits over his last two games, and losing the possession-time battle 37:23 to the Panthers cost Matt Forte in the box score, where he received only 15 carries. Tennessee conveniently ranks 29th in sacks, so this is a matchup in which the front five should hold its own. ... Forte's versatility stabilizes his production even in down weeks for rushing, and he still came away from the Carolina game with 94 yards and a touchdown on 20 all-purpose touches. Dating back to Week 5, Forte has 259 yards on his last 56 carries (4.63 YPC) and is a shoo-in top-dozen running back play against the Titans' No. 28 rush defense. ... Forte has been healthy for each of Chicago's last three games. Backup Michael Bush has averaged five touches per game over that span, and bottomed out last week with three carries for five yards and no receptions. Bush is a handcuff only at this point with zero flex appeal.

Cutler is engineering long drives when the line gives him time and delivering the rock relentlessly to Brandon Marshall, but Chicago's signal caller has settled in as a QB2. He's 27th in quarterback scoring and 23rd in points per game. While Tennessee's No. 29 pass defense makes Cutler a worthwhile two-QB league play, he's not a starter in standard settings. ... Enemy No. 1 receiver stats in the Titans' last four games: Reggie Wayne 7-91; Stevie Johnson 5-71-1; Mike Wallace 2-94-1; Percy Harvin 8-108-1. Marshall is good to go. ... Cutler's distribution of targets since the Bears' Week 6 bye: Marshall 24, Earl Bennett and Forte 10, Devin Hester 8, Kellen Davis and Matt Spaeth 3. ... Bennett is a volume-dependent possession receiver who doesn't make plays downfield or score touchdowns. So in terms of fantasy relevance, his average of five targets per game isn't going to get it done. Forte and Marshall are the Bears' only realistic fantasy starters.

The Bears' primary team strength is a dominant front four that works in "waves" to keep everyone fresh. It's actually an eight-man rotation with Shea McClellin, Corey Wootton, Amobi Okoye, and Nate Collins spelling starters Julius Peppers, Henry Melton, Stephen Paea, and Israel Idonije. Chicago ranks first in run defense and second in sacks, and the constant up-front havoc works in unison with an opportunistic secondary that's tied for the NFL lead in interceptions. Tennessee will have its work cut out to generate ball movement. ... As brimming with talent and blowup potential as Kenny Britt is, there couldn't possibly be a less likely matchup for his long-awaited breakout game. The Titans are dinking and dunking with noodle-armed Matt Hasselbeck under center. The Bears' Cover 2 will allow Hasselbeck to do so while shutting down the deep half, attempting to eliminate Tennessee's run game, and awaiting a Hasselbeck mistake. Bears LCB Charles Tillman shut down Calvin Johnson two weeks ago and figures to shadow Britt in this game, as well. ... Hasselbeck's target distribution in his last four starts: Nate Washington 32, Britt and Kendall Wright 27, Jared Cook 21, Damian Williams 11, Chris Johnson and Craig Stevens 10.

Chicago is playing top-five defense in yards per pass attempt, TD-to-INT ratio (6:16), and passer rating allowed (62.0). The statistics indicate the Titans will struggle to throw the football Sunday. ... Hasselbeck is spreading the wealth, and limited anticipated Week 9 production makes all of his would-be pass catchers weak, low-ceiling fantasy bets. Washington, Britt, and Wright are already weekly WR3 rolls of the dice. Wright's vertical speed continues to go to waste catching screens and dump downs. ... The Titans seemingly say every week that they "want" Cook more involved. It never happens. I would have requested a trade, too. ... The Bears have been even better against the run than the pass. They're No. 1 in the league in run defense, have permitted only one rushing touchdown through seven games, and allow 3.76 yards per carry. Chris Johnson has strung together three consecutive weeks of tough running, and that is a promising forward-looking sign. The odds just don't favor Johnson doing much in this game. He's more of an RB2/flex than an RB1 in Week 9.

Score Prediction: Bears 20, Titans 10

Denver @ Cincinnati

Perhaps the most underrated running back in the game today, Willis McGahee is coming off a thorough shredding of the Saints that witnessed the seemingly ageless 31-year-old post season highs in carries (23), rushing (122), and total yards (155). McGahee is lighting up opponents on cutback runs. A top-ten fantasy back through seven games, McGahee will face off Sunday with a Bengals defense that ranks 22nd in run defense and has allowed the NFL's second most rushing touchdowns. McGahee is an every-week RB1. ... Broncos rookie tailback Ronnie Hillman received a Week 7 uptick in carries as Denver sat on a blowout lead. Though still prone to negative runs, Hillman flashed his jets and fast feet with 86 yards on 14 carries and has clearly bypassed Lance Ball to be McGahee's handcuff. Hillman is worth a fantasy roster stash in case McGahee breaks down. ... Peyton Manning's updated 2012 target distribution: Eric Decker 59, Demaryius Thomas 57, Jacob Tamme 42, Brandon Stokley 26, Joel Dreessen 25, McGahee 24, Hillman 5. ... The Bengals allow the sixth most fantasy points in the league to tight ends, but Dreessen and Tamme are just TE2s. Tamme played 33.8 percent of Denver's Week 8 snaps and has begun losing time to Virgil Green. Dreessen played 90.5 percent, but didn't catch a pass.

Saints DC Steve Spagnuolo threw all but the kitchen sink at Manning last Sunday night. New Orleans played nickel-zone as its base defense, blitzed frequently, and even scratched healthy run-stopping DT Brodrick Bunkley to get more pass rushers on the field. It didn't work. Manning carved up Spags' group for his fourth consecutive game of three touchdown passes and 300-plus yards. An unquestioned elite QB1 again, Manning should pad his stats against Cincinnati's slow-footed secondary in Week 9. Observed NFL Network's Kurt Warner of Manning this week, "Take out that one first half against Atlanta, and I don't know if anybody's played the position better all year long." ... Thomas is everything the Cowboys hoped Dez Bryant would be coming out of the same 2010 draft. A physical playmaker with an increasingly complete game and genuinely solid head on his shoulders, Thomas will make a serious run to be this year's top fantasy receiver. ... Thomas is an every-week WR1, but Decker has a more favorable Week 9 matchup. Whereas Thomas will run most of his routes against Bengals top CB Leon Hall, Decker will draw either 34-year-old LCB Terence Newman or rookie Dre Kirkpatrick, who's expected to make his NFL debut. A top-15 fantasy wideout in his own right, Decker is a recommended play Sunday at Cincinnati.

The Bengals' passing game shuts down when defenses take away A.J. Green, and the Steelers reconfirmed that reality just before Cincinnati's Week 8 bye. Ike Taylor limited Green to one catch, and Andy Dalton finished with 105 passing yards. In Week 5, Dolphins CB Sean Smith held Green to 65 yards. Dalton threw one touchdown and was picked off twice, managing 234 yards in Cincy's 17-13 loss to Miami. Green has been held out of the end zone once this season -- in Week 1 by the Ravens. Baltimore dismantled Cincinnati 44-13 as Dalton produced a 0:2 touchdown-to-turnover ratio and 221 yards. Shutting down Green is easier said than done, of course, but Champ Bailey is one of the league's few cornerbacks capable of it. Per Pro Football Focus, Bailey hasn't allowed a single touchdown this season, and quarterbacks challenging his coverage have a 69.0 passer rating. Green remains a must-start, but Dalton is just a QB2. ... It's worth noting that Green posted a 10-124-1 line in last year's Week 2 matchup with Denver. Bailey missed the game with a left hamstring strain. Green did much of that damage against Andre' Goodman, who is now jobless.

The Bengals faced one defense ranked higher than 22nd in their first seven games. They'll round out fantasy season with 4-of-8 matchups against top-ten units and 7-of-8 ranked 18th or better. The lone outlier is Week 10 versus the Giants, who obviously field a better defense than their No. 24 ranking suggests. It's easy to envision a second-half skid for Cincinnati, particularly on offense. It would be their second in as many seasons. ... Denver is No. 8 in total defense and 15th versus the run, and won't go easy on BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The Broncos' 3.67 YPC allowed is quietly the sixth stingiest clip in football. Law Firm is a low-upside flex option in Week 9. ... Beyond Bailey, the Broncos' defensive strength is the outside-edge rush of LE Von Miller and RE Elvis Dumervil. Denver surrenders the third most fantasy points to tight ends, but Jermaine Gresham may do quite a bit of "help" blocking in this game. ... It will be interesting to see whether OC Jay Gruden increases the role of Andrew Hawkins coming out of the bye. The No. 2 receiver rotation of Armon Binns and Brandon Tate has flopped, and there are two players in Cincinnati's offense Gruden should be scheming to get the ball: Green and Hawkins. Since a fast start, "Baby Hawk" has fizzled out due to a shortage of field time and lack of commitment to keeping him involved.

Score Prediction: Broncos 24, Bengals 17

Miami @ Indianapolis

The Dolphins emerged from their Week 7 bye employing a legit 50:50 backfield timeshare in last Sunday's 30-9 rout of the Jets. Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas traded off possessions while the game was in doubt, and Thomas operated as the second-half clock-killer as Miami ran away with the win. Bush played 20 snaps compared to Thomas' 43. This isn't a running back changing of the guard, but it was very much designed, likely to keep Bush healthy for the stretch run after first-half hip and knee injuries. The unfortunate reality for Bush's fantasy owners is that, barring a change, he won't match his early-season workloads the rest of the way. The good news is Bush should still receive 13-17 touches against Indy's No. 27 run defense in Week 9. He's a quality RB2/flex, but probably isn't rediscovering RB1 value anytime soon. ... Thomas' running skills do not stand out in any way, but he's the favorite for goal-line carries in Miami's backfield, has a growing role, and this is a favorable matchup. While Thomas offers scant upside, you could do far worse for a flex play.

Indy's defense has served up a 13:2 TD-to-INT ratio to enemy passers and the third highest QB rating in the league (103.4). This defense can be thrown on. Which Miami signal caller will do the majority of that throwing remains to be seen. Matt Moore is a veteran backup trusted by the coaches, and the Palm Beach Post reported Thursday that Ryan Tannehill (knee, quad) will be on a short leash if he starts. Tannehill is the Dolphins' franchise quarterback, and they won't leave him in there long if he's not 100 percent. This is an obvious fantasy situation to avoid. ... Remember when Brian Hartline had 253 yards? Me neither. Hartline hasn't cleared 60 in three games since, and went catch-less in one of them. He's a mid-range to low-end WR3 option with quarterback uncertainty. ... Davone Bess gets open in the slot, but does little after the catch and hasn't scored a touchdown since December 2011. He's a weak PPR option and not even in the standard-league mix. ... Anthony Fasano has no fantasy upside, and he doesn't have a favorable matchup, either. The Colts have allowed the fewest yards and receptions in the NFL to tight ends.

The Dolphins' No. 22 defensive ranking looks lowly on paper, but this group is way better than that. "They're fast. I think their pass rush has been outstanding," observed NFL Films' Greg Cosell this week. "Their secondary has played better than I thought they would. The safety (Reshad) Jones has been a good player for them. And they've been pretty consistent week to week." I was surprised to see a 43-point over-under on Fins-Colts because I think both teams will struggle to score. And I think Indy will have the toughest time. ... Rookie running back Vick Ballard has strung together back-to-back impressive performances and put his body on the line for the sake of his team on last week's game-winning touchdown. Despite the healthy return of Donald Brown, Ballard isn't going away. Coach Bruce Arians this week promised an "equal" carry distribution, and it's fair to wonder if either Colts back will do much of anything on Sunday. The Dolphins rank third in the NFL against the run, and only the Patriots allow fewer yards per carry. This is a brutal matchup for both Brown and Ballard.

Sunday Update: Brown suffered an apparent setback with his knee in practice this week, and is not expected to play against the Dolphins. The run-defense matchup remains among the most difficult for all of Week 9's games, but Brown's absence improves Ballard's fantasy outlook. He should get the ball no fewer than 16 times against the Dolphins and could also see an increased passing-game role.

The Dolphins have done an effective job of checking No. 1 receivers dating back to Week 2, when they began employing CB Sean Smith in shadow coverage. Reggie Wayne's "move" receiver role in Arians' offense makes him difficult to track along the formation, however, and he'll likely be Indianapolis' primary means of ball movement Sunday, particularly if the run game can't get going. ... Coby Fleener will miss at least two weeks with a subluxed shoulder, which may translate to an extra target or two for fellow rookie tight end Dwayne Allen. Allen scored a pair of early-season red-zone touchdowns and has two 20-plus-yard catches in his last three games. The Dolphins have allowed the eighth most yards to tight ends this year. Allen is worth a look as a desperation, bye-week flier. ... Considering the favorable coverage looks he receives opposite Wayne, Donnie Avery ought to have topped 60 yards in more than 1-of-7 games. He's a WR5 in fantasy leagues, and there's increasingly less reason to believe Avery offers any glimmer of upside. ... Miami's defense ranks sixth in the NFL in sacks with an 8:8 TD-to-INT ratio against. Andrew Luck flirted with QB1-caliber production early in the year, but he's crashed back to Earth with one touchdown pass in his last three games. Luck is just two-quarterback league material in a tough matchup.

Score Prediction: Dolphins 20, Colts 17

Buffalo @ Houston

It's easy to envision a lopsided Week 9 Houston win where Buffalo struggles to get anything going on offense. "They are really hard to play against," Cosell said of the Texans' defense this week. "I don't think this is a good matchup for Buffalo. I just don't see it. I don't see how they're gonna consistently move the ball. And I think (Ryan) Fitzpatrick, who struggles under pressure, is gonna face a lot of it early and often." The one way for Buffalo to move the football would be to give it to C.J. Spiller. Spiller is averaging a scintillating 7.65 yards per touch this year, and it's worth wondering if Buffalo's coaching staff considered increasing his role during its Week 8 bye. Spiller is the Bills' best, most explosive player, and it's not close. He needs to be in lineups as an RB2 in Week 9. ... Whereas Houston's defense has had trouble with in-space backs like Chris Johnson (157 yards), Reggie Bush (115), and Spiller, Wade Phillips' 3-4 has been far better at containing inside runners such as Willis McGahee (42 yards), Shonn Greene (45), and Fred Jackson. The Texans rank fourth in the league in run defense and haven't surrendered a rushing touchdown all season. I'd feel good about Spiller as a locked-in fantasy starter for this game, but F-Jax looks like more of a flex play.

The Texans butter their bread in pass defense. With top corner Johnathan Joseph healthy again, Houston can bottle up No. 1 receivers while J.J. Watt, Antonio Smith, Brooks Reed, and Connor Barwin tee off on the quarterback. This is a top-seven defense in passing yards, yards per pass attempt, and completion rate allowed, sacks, interceptions, and QB rating against. Fitzpatrick would be a poor play even in two-quarterback leagues. ... Stevie Johnson is the lone Bills pass catcher worth serious Week 9 fantasy consideration, and he's just a WR3. ... Donald Jones is Buffalo's No. 2 receiver. He's been held under 50 yards in 6-of-7 games this season. ... You know the drill on Scott Chandler; matchups don't matter. He can prove a worthwhile fantasy start if he finds the end zone, and he'll hurt you if he doesn't. Chandler hasn't found pay dirt since Week 4.

Arian Foster is an easy one. He's the No. 1 overall fantasy running back, and the Bills have the worst run defense in football. ... With Ben Tate out indefinitely due to a hamstring strain, Justin Forsett will back up Foster against Buffalo. Forsett has done a nice job off the bench in Houston this year, averaging over five yards per carry, but he'd be a major stretch as a flex option. ... The Texans are a philosophically run-first team and should control this game on the ground, but Houston's passing-game members have a pretty nice matchup, too. The Bills rank 22nd in pass defense and have allowed a 14:6 TD-to-INT ratio to enemy quarterbacks. Matt Schaub is a high-end QB2 in this game, and Andre Johnson won't struggle to get open. Johnson has a two-game streak of 75 or more receiving yards. He can add to that string if the targets are there. They have been recently; Andre leads the Texans with 22 targets over their last two games. ... The numbers say Owen Daniels has a more difficult matchup because Buffalo has been middle-of-the-road in terms of production allowed to tight ends this year. Daniels remains a worthwhile TE1 because Houston projects to be in scoring position often. He's a solid bet for a touchdown. ... Kevin Walter is third on the Texans in receiving, but he's a puzzle-piece role player and could easily get stuck blocking out wide if Foster gashes Buffalo. There are better bye-week WR3 options out there.

Score Prediction: Texans 30, Bills 13

4:05PM ET Games

Minnesota @ Seattle

Vikings-Seahawks has the lowest over-under of Week 9 at 38.5 points. It's a game to avoid where possible in fantasy lineup decisions. ... Jerome Simpson's Week 4 return from suspension was supposed to have a positive impact on Minnesota's passing attack, supplementing a seemingly fast-rising offensive corps with a wheelsy vertical threat capable of taking the top off defenses. The opposite has been true. Simpson has secured a paltry 3-of-11 targets for 45 yards since his debut game, coming at the expense of a shrinking receiving role for Kyle Rudolph. In Simpson's three full games played, Rudolph has a combined four catches for 25 scoreless yards. A top-five tight end in the season's first six weeks, it's time to start worrying about Rudolph's outlook going forward. He's losing production to an inefficient Simpson, and Christian Ponder is experiencing growing pains. This passing game no longer appears capable of supporting two pass-catching fantasy starters. ... There is one way and one way only for the Vikings to generate aerial ball movement against the Seahawks: Target Percy Harvin relentlessly. Already a slump-proof WR1, Harvin will make Seattle pay if DC Gus Bradley leaves usual slot corner Marcus Trufant on him for passing downs. To this point in the season, the Seahawks have "played sides" at cornerback with Trufant inside, and RCB Brandon Browner and LCB Richard Sherman always staying outside.

Michael Jenkins racked up four catches for 78 yards in last Thursday night's 36-17 loss to Tampa Bay. All of his numbers came in garbage time. You don't want Molasses Mike anywhere near your fantasy roster. ... If Ponder took a step forward in Minnesota's initial five games, he's taken three steps back in the last two. Ponder's eye level has become an issue again, and he's completed a rough 27-of-52 passes (51.9 percent) for 309 yards (5.94 YPA), two touchdowns and three picks in matchups with Tampa and Arizona. Ponder has enough individual talent and supporting cast to turn himself around, but he's a virtual lock to struggle against Seattle's physically dominant pass defense in front of the Twelfth Man. ... We've established that matchups simply do not matter when Adrian Peterson is rolling. And he's rolling. But this is a column on Matchups, so we've got to discuss it. Which begs the question, is Seattle's run defense springing leaks? At the very least, it's showing signs of humanity. The Seahawks have surrendered 234 yards on 43 carries (5.44 YPC) to Lions and 49ers tailbacks over the past two weeks. Seattle is obviously a stouter group than those statistics indicate, but it's just another reason to trot out Peterson as a confident fantasy start.

The Vikings opened the season playing typically stout run defense, but they're going to have to re-prove themselves to regain tough-matchup distinction. Minnesota has been throttled by the run over its past three games, silver-plattering 468 yards and five rushing touchdowns on 99 carries (4.73 YPC) to Tampa Bay, Arizona, and Washington. The Seahawks, of course, don't hide their weekly offensive intentions. They're fourth in the NFL in rushing attempts and second to last in passes, and will approach this game no differently. Marshawn Lynch has shredded San Francisco and Detroit's previously high-ranked run defenses for back-to-back 100-plus-yard games, so he's shaping up as matchup proof anyway. ... The Seahawks are showing signs of opening up the playbook for Russell Wilson. His 35 pass attempts in Week 8 at Detroit were a career high, and Seattle had a lead almost the entire game. So they weren't a product of pass-happy comeback mode. There is no question Wilson throws the football well enough to be an NFL starter, and he can be a QB2 asset with upside if the Seahawks cooperate. ... Sidney Rice looked like his old self against the Lions. Rice came away with 6/55/1, and was two or three bad breaks from a truly mammoth game. With Vikings top outside CB Chris Cook (broken arm) out of the way, Rice is going to square off against rookie Josh Robinson and frequent burn victim A.J. Jefferson on the perimeter. Rice is playing very good ball right now. And he's got an enticing Week 9 matchup.

Score Prediction: Seahawks 23, Vikings 20

Tampa Bay @ Oakland

All-Pro LG Carl Nicks' year-ending toe injury is a concern for Doug Martin's fantasy outlook. The Bucs overcame RG Davin Joseph's August patellar tear enough to field a top-15 rushing offense in the first seven games, but Nicks is better than Joseph was, and ultimately losing both starting guards is a lock to impact any ground attack. Only time can tell just how affected the Bucs' will be. The good news is that Martin is a fresh-legged bellcow runner coming off ten days of down time following last Thursday night's 214-total yard, two-score demolition of a consistently stout Vikings run defense. Martin is running with far more purpose than he did early in his rookie season, and possesses enough wiggle to occasionally elude tacklers even when they get backfield penetration. The latter is an attribute Martin may have to rely upon more without Joseph and now Nicks. ... It's also notable that the Raiders are no longer a pushover run defense. Quietly skyrocketing to No. 11 in the NFL rankings against the run, Oakland has permitted just 114 yards and one touchdown on 48 carries (2.38 YPC) to opposing tailbacks in its last three games. Martin owners should be excited about his recent surge in productivity and start him as an RB2/flex versus the Raiders, but there are still factors working against the rookie. Martin certainly hasn't reached RB1 value yet.

Josh Freeman is on a three-week tear, a span during which only Aaron Rodgers has scored more fantasy points among quarterbacks. This is another favorable matchup, but caution is advised when treating Freeman as a trustworthy QB1. Freeman lit up bad Kansas City and New Orleans defenses, and a large chunk of his Week 8 numbers came on Martin's 64-yard screen pass score at Minnesota. I think there is something to the notion that the Bucs have hit an offensive groove by capitalizing on Freeman's power arm with chunk-play shots to vertical threats Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams. And they can be especially dangerous off play-action fakes if Martin's running game continues to click. Ride Freeman against Oakland's No. 20 pass defense while he's hot, but don't count on him sustaining the recent production. ... Freeman's target distribution since the Bucs' Week 5 bye: Jackson 28, Williams 25, Tiquan Underwood 14, Martin 13, Dallas Clark 10. ... V-Jax was clearly laboring through a hip injury in last Thursday's win over the Vikings, contributing to his 2-40 stat line. Off the injury report after ten days rest, there's every reason to believe he can bounce back big at Oakland. ... Williams is now seeing enough regular targets in an offense that suits his skill set to be considered a high-upside WR3. He's on pace for 58 receptions, 997 yards, and nine touchdowns. ... Underwood isn't on the fantasy radar, but has overtaken former second-round pick Arrelious Benn for the Bucs' third receiver job. ... Clark isn't even a worthwhile TE2.

Here was Cosell's assessment of Oakland's run game this week: "They really try to run the ball, but there's just no room. And McFadden -- you can say what you want -- he's a downhill, explosive guy but he's not shifty, he's not elusive, he's not a create-space kind of runner. So he needs the hole to be there." Both Football Outsiders and Pro Football Focus rank Oakland 30th in run blocking. So it's probably time to reset expectations for Darren McFadden. There are some things for DMC owners to hang their hats on -- job security, last week's season-best yardage, and the Raiders' genuine commitment to the run -- but reaching top-5 or even top-10 rushing stats no longer seems realistic barring a miraculous offensive line turnaround. Ranked 18th in running back scoring to this point, McFadden needs to be considered an RB2 moving forward. ... Running on the Bucs hasn't been easy, either. Tampa's sixth-ranked run defense is permitting just 3.53 YPC with vastly improved linebacker play, and will be fresh Sunday coming off a ten-day layoff following last Thursday's win. McFadden is an every-week starter simply because he gets volume, but generating lofty per-touch yardage will likely be a struggle in this matchup. ... Although he is practicing this week and remains a worthwhile RB5 stash, Mike Goodson's turf toe injury is a reminder of his long track record of durability concerns. He's just a change-up back right now.

Moving the ball still shouldn't be difficult for Oakland in this game. They can do it in the air. The Bucs traded top corner Aqib Talib to the Patriots on Thursday, and RCB Eric Wright is battling an Achilles' strain. Banged-up journeyman Brandon McDonald (ankle) and undrafted rookie Leonard Johnson figure to see an uptick in snaps this week opposite LCB E.J. Biggers. Tampa Bay is already one of just three NFL teams allowing over 300 passing yards per game, and in the post-Adrian Clayborn era the Bucs lack pass rushers to mask any secondary deficiencies. QB1 streamers: Carson Palmer is your guy. ... White-hot Denarius Moore is the No. 4 fantasy receiver over the past three weeks, and nothing about this matchup indicates his roll will be slowed. He's a locked-in WR2 at this point. ... Savvy fantasy owners should still view a healthy Darrius Heyward-Bey as more of a boon to Palmer's Week 9 fantasy appeal than a standalone starting option. Taking a clear backseat to Moore in what remains a run-first offense, DHB has been highly inconsistent and mostly ineffective. He does have some big-play ability. ... Brandon Myers is Oakland's No. 3 option in the passing game. Myers' sure hands will keep him involved all season, but he doesn't score touchdowns and is essentially a checkdown tight end. The Buccaneers have surrendered the fifth fewest receptions to tight ends this season, and are in the bottom 13 in yards allowed.

Score Prediction: Raiders 24, Bucs 21

4:25PM ET Game

Pittsburgh @ NY Giants

Friday Update: Steelers beat writers expected Jonathan Dwyer to start this game all week, but he couldn't overcome a quadricep injury and missed Friday's practice. It's an indication Dwyer will be inactive against the Giants. Look for plodding Isaac Redman to draw the start. The matchup is favorable and Redman versatile enough that he's worth a look as a fill-in flex play. Redman will also be the heavy favorite for all goal-line work.

Running away with Pittsburgh's feature back job, Jonathan Dwyer tagged Washington's previously top-ten run defense for 115 total yards in Week 8 and will get another start this week. Dwyer has somewhat quietly racked up 229 yards on his last 34 carries (6.74 YPC) as one of the league's hottest backs over the past two weeks. Whereas Rashard Mendenhall had a reputation as a run bouncer, Dwyer gives the Steelers more of what they want as an inside bruiser content to pound away at defenses between the tackles. The Giants rank 19th against the run and surrender the fifth highest yards-per-carry average (4.64) in the NFL. Dwyer is a strong Week 9 flex play, and he's fast approaching rock-solid RB2 value. ... Mendenhall (Achilles') will miss his third straight game. ... Isaac Redman (ankle) is tentatively expected to play on passing downs and mix in as Dwyer’s change-of-pace back against the Giants. ... Baron Batch was the Steelers' third-down back in Week 8 and gained nine yards on five touches. He's nowhere near the fantasy radar. ... Rookie Chris Rainey played 12-of-62 snaps (19.4 percent) against the Skins and remains a situational, gadget-type back. Rainey is averaging just over three touches per game. ... Ben Roethlisberger's target distribution since the Week 4 bye: Mike Wallace 36, Antonio Brown 34, Heath Miller 28, Emmanuel Sanders 20.

Roethlisberger vowed before the season to "get Heath Miller to the Pro Bowl," and Miller is on his way. The No. 3 tight end scorer behind only Rob Gronkowski and Tony Gonzalez, Miller has moved past "borderline" TE1 and should be locked into fantasy lineups against a Giants defense allowing the third most receptions and yards to tight ends. Jason Witten wrecked them for 18 catches and 167 yards last week. ... Wallace caught media flak for his three-drop prime-time game against the Bengals two weeks ago, but Big Ben hasn't stopped throwing to him. Wallace secured 7-of-9 targets against Washington and is an every-week WR2 with WR1 upside against the Giants' No. 26 pass defense. New York has allowed the most 20-plus-yard pass completions in the NFC, and intermediate to deep shots are Wallace's bread and butter. ... Roethlisberger is on pace for career bests in completion percentage (66.8), pass attempts (613), and TD-to-INT ratio (32:7). Averaging 284 passing yards per game, Big Ben is an inarguable QB1. ... While a quality receiver inside the numbers, Brown has never been a touchdown scorer. He has three receiving TDs in his first 32 NFL games. Even at Central Michigan, Brown never hit double-digit touchdowns despite averaging over 100 catches a year. He's shaping up as a WR3 in standard leagues with more value in PPR. ... Sanders is a better real-life than fantasy player in terms of his usage in the Steelers' offense. He's the No. 4 option in the passing game and a WR6 in fantasy.

The Steelers are shutting down running games again. Since being embarrassed a bit by Chris Johnson in the Week 6 Thursday nighter, Pittsburgh has surrendered just 166 combined rushing yards the past two weeks and now ranks in the top nine among run defenses. Meanwhile, Ahmad Bradshaw is fading. His per-game YPC average has dropped in four straight weeks, and the G-Men are trying to mix in more of Andre Brown after Bradshaw's ultimately mild setback with his chronically troubled feet. Bradshaw's workloads have been voluminous enough to keep him squarely on the RB2 radar, but he's unlikely to find much Week 9 running room. ... Rookie David Wilson has touched the ball on offense just twice the past two weeks, with Brown reassuming change-of-pace back duties. Brown has scored on goal-line carries in back-to-back games, but that production is unsustainable and his usage has been minimal. He's just a Bradshaw handcuff.

On an otherworldly tear, Victor Cruz has 100 receptions for 1,598 yards and 12 touchdowns over his last 16 regular season games. Shake off last week's 23-yard clunker and start Cruz confidently against the Steelers. ... There's nothing wrong with Hakeem Nicks' feet or knees anymore; he's back to 100 percent. Sunday's matchup with red-hot Steelers RCB Ike Taylor won't be easy, but a healthy Nicks is plenty capable of getting the better of the league's elite cover corners. Perhaps downgrade Nicks from WR1 to WR2 until he resumes filling up box scores, but he's still an every-week starter. ... Pittsburgh's defense has been middle-of-the-road in terms of production allowed to tight ends. They've given up the 17th "most" fantasy points to the position. Just 19th in fantasy scoring among tight ends over the past three weeks, Martellus Bennett has settled in as a back-end TE1 mostly in need of red-zone touchdowns to prove a worthwhile fantasy start in any given week. ... The Giants took the pedal off the gas after jumping out to a 23-0 lead in last week's win over the Cowboys, sticking with the running game even as Tony Romo mounted a comeback. So New York's passing stats were down across the board. Eli Manning is still probably best treated as a QB2 in Week 9 because of the matchup. Pittsburgh ranks No. 1 in the NFL in pass defense. ... Rueben Randle oddly led the G-Men in Week 8 receiving yards (68), despite playing only nine offensive snaps. He's still behind Domenik Hixon (22 plays, 26 yards). Neither is a fantasy option.

Score Prediction: Steelers 23, Giants 20

Sunday Night Football

Dallas @ Atlanta

Tony Romo leads the league in interceptions (13) and has fumbled four times, and he's single-handedly torpedoed fantasy weeks with turnovers in two of his last four games. "I think you have to live with him being a little bit of a gunslinger, very much like Brett Favre," observed NFL Network's Kurt Warner this week. "He's gonna have those moments, and he's gonna make those plays." In other words, Romo won't stop trying to put the Cowboys on his back. The burden is enormous this season because Dallas essentially has no running game, and that is especially true with DeMarco Murray (foot) sidelined at least one more week. 20th in fantasy quarterback scoring, Romo will square off Sunday night with an Atlanta defense that ranks top ten against the pass, permitting a 7:10 TD-to-INT ratio, and has the NFL's fifth-lowest QB rating against. Romo is always capable of big games, but the on-paper setup isn't working in his Week 9 favor. ... Dez Bryant has been an error-prone nightmare all year, but he's getting it done in the box score with a seven-catch, 81-yard average and two scores in his last four games. Bryant was literally an inch from another monster effort before last week's would-be game-winning touchdown was overturned on replay. Bryant does have a favorable Week 9 matchup, as he'll run most of his routes against burnable Falcons RCB Dunta Robinson, and can capitalize on LCB Asante Samuel's off-zone coverage when Dez aligns to the other side. Bryant is a better fantasy than real-life player this season.

The Falcons haven't defended the run well, but matchups matter little for Felix Jones. He's the biggest fantasy football tease of the past two years. Jones is a thoroughly ineffective runner whenever the slightest bit short of 100 percent, and he's battling shoulder and knee injuries this week. Play him at your own risk. ... Phillip Tanner is next in line for carries, but he's averaging 2.44 YPC and is rarely used in the passing game. He's not a flex option against the Falcons. ... The absence of WLB Sean Weatherspoon (ankle) figures to make life easier on Jason Witten Sunday night. Weatherspoon plays Mike 'backer in Atlanta's nickel defense, and replacement Akeem Dent is a coverage downgrade. White-hot Witten is coming off an 18-catch game and needs to be locked into fantasy lineups in this possible shootout. ... Kevin Ogletree was a non-factor before straining his hamstring against the Giants. Look for Dwayne Harris to replace him as Dallas' No. 3 receiver Sunday night. ... Miles Austin is no longer showing any signs of his recurring hamstring problems on the field. While he's not as heavily targeted as Bryant or Witten, Austin has remained a big-time fantasy asset and will deal with inexperienced Falcons slot CB Robert McClain on passing downs in this game. Austin is on pace for 78 receptions, 1,283 yards, and just over nine TDs.

The Falcons are undefeated entering game eight. Matt Ryan is the NFL MVP to this point, and I'm not sure it's close. Until defenses begin finding ways to penetrate Ryan's pocket and knock him off his spot, he will keep picking them apart. The Cowboys have defensive personnel to keep Ryan contained, but we'll believe Atlanta's passing game is stoppable when we see it. Ryan is the No. 2 quarterback in fantasy points per game, and he will pile up more if this matchup turns pass heavy in the Georgia Dome. ... Dallas' corners are moving parts. For instance, both Mike Jenkins and Brandon Carr have dabbled at slot corner, outside corner, and safety over the past month. Morris Claiborne plays both LCB and RCB depending on Rob Ryan's game plan for the week. Claiborne matched up for most of last week's game with Hakeem Nicks, and held Nicks under 50 yards for the second time this season. There's just no way to tell who will cover whom on Sunday night because these guys move all over the place. Don't sweat matchups with Julio Jones and Roddy White. Just start 'em. ... At the same time, this could easily be a Tony Gonzalez kind of game. Dallas' defense should be susceptible down the seam following ILB Sean Lee's year-ending toe injury, and matchup-mastermind Ryan figures to be more concerned with Jones and White.

Practice-squad type WR Drew Davis finished Week 8 with a 2/30/1 line, but both catches came on Atlanta's scripted first drive of the game. Harry Douglas is due back from injury this week, leaving Davis without an offensive role. Avoid Atlanta's slot receiver position in fantasy leagues. ... Michael Turner's third consecutive second-half slowdown is in full effect. It's actually begun earlier this season. His per-game yards-per-carry average has slipped in three straight games, and Turner is easy for heavyweight front sevens like Dallas' to defend because he can't accelerate to the edges. The Cowboys rank 13th versus the run and permit under 4.0 yards per carry to enemy rushers. Turner isn't going to be an effective fantasy start unless he scores at the goal line on Sunday Night Football. ... Jacquizz Rodgers busted a career-long 43-yard run against Philadelphia's already-defeated defense in Week 8. Rodgers' previous career long was 13 yards. Rodgers will play a solid dose of passing-down snaps against the Cowboys, but he continues to offer little in the way of ball-carrying ability and is no longer a recommended fantasy stash.

Score Prediction: Falcons 27, Cowboys 24

Monday Night Football

Philadelphia @ New Orleans

Unsurprisingly considering each team's defensive state, Philly-Saints has the highest over-under of Week 9 at 52 points. Todd Bowles' first game as Eagles "interim" defensive coordinator was a complete flop. The Eagles let the Falcons score on each of their first six possessions, and the ball barely hit the ground in Atlanta's passing attack until it took the pedal off the gas late in the ballgame. Philadelphia is not generating pass pressure, and the secondary isn't playing well, either. "(Nnamdi) Asomugha in three games this year has given up a perfect quarterback rating on plays in which he's been targeted," NFL Films' Greg Cosell said this week. "So every time he's been targeted, the ball's been caught. Asomugha, at this moment in time, is a below-average NFL corner. (Dominique) Rodgers-Cromartie is also an average player at this point." Cosell said he'd be "very surprised" if the Saints didn't drop 30-plus points on the Eagles. Start Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham, and Marques Colston, and Lance Moore is squarely on the WR3 radar. ... Arguably the NFL's hottest receiver entering Week 8, Colston was limited to 63 yards on five catches because the Broncos shadowed him with Champ Bailey all over the field. Bailey doesn't typically play in the slot -- where most of Colston's pass routes are run -- so the strategy wasn't especially predictable. Colston should draw Asomugha Monday night in what will be a far more fantasy-friendly matchup.

Graham returned from his ankle injury in Week 8 to play 41-of-62 downs (66.1 percent) and catch 5-of-10 targets for 63 yards and a touchdown. He's typically a 75-80 percent player, so look for a healthier, even more involved Graham with an extra day between games. ... Moore played the same number of Week 8 snaps as Graham, but his targets (6) and production (3-25) predictably took a hit. Moore is a WR2/3 when Colston or Graham sits out. When they're both playing, Moore is a matchup-dependent WR3. This is a favorable matchup. ... After consecutive 75-plus-yard efforts, Devery Henderson went catch-less in last week's loss to Denver. It's a reminder that he's one of fantasy's least consistent receivers and ultimately not worth the headache. ... Darren Sproles' workloads (9, 11 touches) have disappointed in two games since New Orleans' Week 6 bye, but he's found pay dirt in both and remains an every-week flex play in standard leagues with high-upside RB2 appeal in PPR. Particularly in projected shootouts like this, you don't want to leave Sproles on your bench. ... Pierre Thomas is the second best bet for fantasy production in New Orleans' three-headed backfield, but averages just over ten touches for 57 yards per game and has one touchdown on the year. He's a low-end flex option. ... Mark Ingram has ten carries for 28 yards since the open date and rarely sees the field unless New Orleans is blowing out its opponent. Ingram would need Thomas or Sproles to get injured to be a start-able fantasy player.

Friday Update: Saints coach Joe Vitt revealed Friday that Sproles fractured his hand in Thursday's practice, requiring surgery. I think it would be surprising if Sproles didn't miss multiple games. The injury should catapult Thomas from a ten touch-per-game player into the 15-21 range, dramatically increasing his fantasy value and making "P.T. Cruiser" a high-upside RB2/flex play on Monday Night Football. If Sproles missed a month or more, Thomas could legitimately flirt with RB1 production because he plays in the passing game, was already the favorite for early-down carries, and would benefit from significantly increased volume in a high-scoring offense. This Sproles injury is a big deal. He was getting the ball ten times a game, including a six-catch weekly average, and the bulk of those opportunities will now go to Thomas.

On Ingram, Ivory, Cadet: The impact on Ingram's role remains to be seen. He may handle a few more carries per game with Thomas' passing-game work increasing, but ultimately we're in wait-and-see mode on Ingram. Full disclosure: My college buddies' league has a Saturday waivers system and I'm trying to re-add Ingram after dropping him early in the year. But not with lofty expectations. I think his upside is still limited to flex option in favorable matchups. Chris Ivory now stands to be active on game days, though like Ingram does not play in the passing game and may still not be a fantasy contributor. UDFA rookie Travaris Cadet is an intriguing pickup in deep leagues. He was highly productive in the preseason, essentially playing Sproles' exact role on the Chase Daniel-engineered second-team offense this August.

In his first game back from the Week 7 bye, Michael Vick played tentatively in a dumbed-down offense ostensibly designed to limit turnovers. Vick was takeaway-free against the Falcons, but the conservative plan of "attack" was thoroughly ineffective, and an obvious recipe for failure when Philly's defense collapsed, forcing Vick into comeback mode. By all accounts, Monday night's game will serve as Vick's audition for the season's remainder. He'll be benched for Nick Foles if he doesn't deliver. If he does and leads Philly to victory against the league's worst defense, the Eagles will be back to .500 and squarely reenter the NFC East hunt. Due to the matchup, there is no question that Vick should be started in fantasy leagues. ... Jeremy Maclin has been an utter disappointment this season, and suffered two killer, late-game drops against Atlanta that could have turned his game around. All that said, Maclin has a highly favorable Week 9 matchup against Saints RCB Patrick Robinson. Maclin runs the majority of his pass routes against right cornerbacks, and Robinson was lit up so badly last week that New Orleans benched him in-game for reserve slot corner Johnny Patrick. Robinson got smoked by Demaryius Thomas (7-137-1).

LCB Jabari Greer remains the Saints' top cover corner, but Eric Decker (4-43-2) got the better of him in the red zone last week. Greer will match up with DeSean Jackson for most of this week's Monday nighter. Jackson is a borderline WR2/3 play. ... Brent Celek is averaging just 33.4 receiving yards over his past five games, but he's on the bye-week TE1 replacement radar this week simply because Eagles-Saints projects as high scoring. Both offenses should move the ball offensively, and feed off each other in terms of filling up the box score. ... LeSean McCoy has been the only guy scoring touchdowns in Philadelphia of late. McCoy has four TDs in his last three games despite disappointing rush-yard stats. Those yardage numbers should come up on Monday Night Football. New Orleans ranks 31st in the league in run defense and is silver-plattering 5.03 yards per carry. Only the Bills have allowed more rushing touchdowns this year.